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Subject: 
Re: Government's role [Was: Re: What happened?]
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Tue, 20 Jul 1999 06:19:29 GMT
Reply-To: 
johnneal@uswest=StopSpammers=.net
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"Christopher L. Weeks" wrote:

Scott Edward Sanburn wrote:

"Christopher L. Weeks" wrote:

Like David Koresh?

I'm totally lost. Could you clarify, Chris? (I should have gotten more sleep
last night!)

You were assuring me that this wonderful democracy works to protect the
lives of the citizens, I think.  You said "I was talking more of a
constitutional democracy, where the people have certain rights (a.k.a.
Bill of Rights) and protection from being murdered and so forth," and I
was pointing out that our constitutional democracy murders its own
citizens from time to time.  All too often from my perspective.

I think that Mob Rule is where we are now...oh yeah, that is a
representative democracy.

Isn't a mob rule like 500 people outside a building, for example, demanding a
hanging?

Yes, that is an example.  Another example is when a majority (only 51%
maybe) situates an executive who heads the executive agencies, and a
legislature who enacts laws and then executive agencies behave poorly
(like the FDA illegally seizing the entire stock of a bunch of
healthfood stores, or the NSA (or whomever) raiding a Texas game company
and stealing their equipment as punishment for doing research).  I call
it mob rule any time that a majority can tread upon the rights of a minority.

In terms of change, Chris, not your definition. I think our social ills are
caused by leftist (liberal) mentality, i think both economic and social changes
are needed to keep America great. The status quo is killing us.

I certainly can't agree entirely.  Some social ills are.  The issue of
acceptance of homosexuality has come up here before, so I'll use it.  I
think that both the left and right are causing social ills on this
issue.  The right wants those filthy homos to be swept under the rug (at
best) or executed in a storm of bullets and a sea of blood (at worst).
This is causing needless conflict.  My message to them is "get a life -
take care of your own business, and if you feel threatened by
homosexuals, it really is just your own business."  Now the liberals
think that homosexuality should be embraced as just an alternative
lifestyle and that gay couples should have an easy time adopting and
that they should be accorded special rights as a couple.  But, I think
that might be leading to 'social ills' too.  I suspect that a 'normal'
stable family environment is better for kids to be raised in on average.
(OTOH a gay couple who could provide a loving home for a kid who
otherwise wouldn't have one, should certainly be utilized.)

So, something is better than nothing.  Yes, but I'm having a tough time figuring a
scenario where no hetereo couples would be available.

Wow.  I'm glad that I can't claim that.  I strongly favor >improvement.

Do you understand now? :)

Actually, I'm not sure.  It sounds to me like you're unreceptive to the
problems with the right and over-receptive to the problems of the left.
I suppose I understand 'your' definitions, but I don't think they're
exactly right.

I agree. But their way of thinking has failed time and time again. You cannot
change human nature.

What do you mean?

Segregation of people because of race violates everything America stands for.
Integration of races is what is supposed to be.

What about socioeconomic segregation?  That's very real, even if anyone
can sit on any seat on the bus now.

It's not prevalent, but it is still relevant.  Negroes in the US really
missed the boat in a big big way and nothing serious has been done to
fix it.

What can we do? I had nothing to do with it, we can't change history. Learn from
it and move on.

I'm not sure we really can do anything tha is socially feasible.

I know many black people that are successful without affirmative action and

And for each of them, how many are there that are not?

without government assistance. It's peoples willingness to follow the rules and
get ahead. Anyone can make it. We cannot do anything about slavery, it happened

Follow the rules?  Play the game?  I don't always do that very well
myself.  I hate to begrudge success to people just because they don't
want to conform.  I go back and forth on this.  Sometimes I don't really
think it's that simple.

over one hundred years ago, and no one is affected now. There are so many

It think that's demonstrably wrong.

scholarships and the like for minorities and opportunities, that no one should
feel they are victims. If they are, it is by their own choice.

Not all victims are to blame.

Like I said in a previous post, I am in full agreement with you and Larry on a
lot of issues and what you have posted before. I think that our definitions are
screwed up. I don't know if I could ever be called a liberal, though! :)
Jeffersonian maybe, but not just a liberal.

I've always described myself as a Classical Liberal, but maybe
Jeffersonian Liberal (or just Jeffersonian) would be more clear for
people nowadays.

--
Sincerely,

Christopher L. Weeks
central Missouri, USA



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Government's role [Was: Re: What happened?]
 
(...) You were assuring me that this wonderful democracy works to protect the lives of the citizens, I think. You said "I was talking more of a constitutional democracy, where the people have certain rights (a.k.a. Bill of Rights) and protection (...) (25 years ago, 19-Jul-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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